Sifting through countless cosmetics and their meaningless marketing clauses can be so frustrating. Luckily, RENpure prides itself in being transparent with consumers about its take on cruelty-free and vegan cosmetics.
REN Pure is cruelty-free. It doesn't conduct animal testing on its products, nor does it distribute its cosmetics where animal testing is required by law. While REN Pure does offer a range of vegan cosmetics, it is not considered a vegan brand.
RENpure launched in 2008 and has since been one of the fastest-growing cosmetics companies in the USA. It's loved for its affordable and naturally inspired products – but does it take its cruelty-free claims seriously?
Before deciding on what to buy, here's what you need to know about RENpure's current animal testing policies, vegan ranges, formulation, and sustainability.
Is RENpure Cruelty-Free and Vegan?
RENpure is 100% Cruelty-Free
It does not:
RENpure is owned by MAV Beauty Brands, which also claims to be a cruelty-free parent company.
The brand is also cruelty-free certified by PETA. While this is a great start, it may not be the most reliable accreditation, and we explain why under certification.
RENpure is Not Vegan
RENpure only has two haircare ranges that use animal-derived ingredients. Otherwise, all of its products are vegan.
Some of the most common animal-derived ingredients that RENpure uses include:
If you're interested in which products are vegan or finding vegan brand alternatives – keep reading or click on this link: RENpure vegan products.
Animal Testing Policy and History
RENpure is committed to creating clean, naturally inspired, and sustainable body products that are also cruelty-free. This has been their intention since it was founded in 2008.
Cruelty-Free Status in 2021
Here is a screenshot of RENpure's official statement regarding its cruelty-free policies and vegan products, taken from their website:
Certification
It would be nice to see more certification from RENpure since it’s such a proudly cruelty-free brand.
The brand is currently PETA-approved, which is not a bad start.
While you might know PETA very well – it surprisingly doesn't hold the strictest cruelty-free regulations out there. It seems to only require a brand's written consent that abides by the PETA code of conduct.
Certification from Leaping Bunny is ideal because it holds rigorous standards and does regular audits to ensure they are upheld.
Leaping Bunny certification proves that:
If you see a bunny stamp at the back of your product bottle – that's a really good sign. But don't be fooled by the image itself. A lot of brands are using fake logos to fool consumers.
Do your homework and see which products are genuinely cruelty-free first. This article will help you: Which Cruelty-Free Logos Can You Trust?
Is RENpure Sold Where Animal Testing is Required By Law?
RENpure does not distribute any of its products to China or any country that requires animal testing on any cosmetics by law.
China has a shocking track record. It is the country with the most amount of animal testing globally, with over 20 million animals used per year.
However, if you live in China or are concerned about its cruel beauty policies, there are a couple of loopholes to be aware of. Here's how to find cruelty-free cosmetics in China: Are Cosmetics Made in China Cruelty-Free?
What RENpure Products Are Vegan?
RENpure only has two haircare ranges that use animal-derived ingredients. The rest of its products are completely plant-based and vegan.
The two ranges that use animal-derived ingredients are:
To save you some time, here are some of the brand's best-selling vegan products:
For a full list of RENpure's product ranges, you can visit its website here: RENpure Product List
Vegan Alternatives to RENpure
Overall, RENpure has a good track record and noteworthy transparency with its consumers. For a multi-million dollar brand – it's commendable.
While we love that it is cruelty-free and offers vegan options – it would be great to see some more certification behind the claims.
If you will not support a brand that isn't entirely vegan – RENpure might not be your first choice.
If you're looking for 100% vegan brands that are sustainable, some great options include:
Is RENpure Natural and Organic?
Although RENpure is not an organic brand, it does pride itself in using natural formulas.
What are natural cosmetics?
The term "clean" or "natural" is not regulated for cosmetics and skincare. In other words, it doesn't hold one specific meaning.
In RENpure's case, it means a product is free of certain more toxic synthetic ingredients (gluten, dye, parabens, sulfates, phthalates, propylene glycol, formaldehyde) and that it uses ingredients of immediate plant origin.
Here's the thing – "natural" is not necessarily a good thing. Just because an ingredient is natural (take chili peppers, for example) doesn't mean you should rub it on your skin.
All products use a certain amount of synthetic ingredients in their formulas, and RENpure is no exception. But it chooses to use clean synthetics.
Clean synthetic ingredients are safe and non-toxic, which preserve the stability of a beauty formulation.
However, some ingredients are still known allergens or irritants.
As a conscientious shopper, you must read up on any brand's ingredient list before you make a purchase – especially if you live within the United States.
This is because the FDA has only banned or restricted 11 harmful chemicals from cosmetics within the country. Europe, on the other hand, has banned 1,328!
With skincare and cosmetics, you want to avoid these ingredients:
Does RENpure Use Safe Ingredients?
RENpure has a relatively decent spread of ingredients that can benefit your skin, and they also avoid using anything that could be harmful where possible.
According to Skin Safe, RENpure usually has a 73% - 91% allergen-free ranking for each product, with one product scoring a lower 64%.
The brand's products are free of allergens such as gluten, dye, parabens, sulfates, phthalates, propylene glycol, formaldehyde. However, many are not free of irritants and common preservatives.
Reading the ingredient list is crucial because RENpure is not hypoallergenic or and they do not claim to be.
And although most of RENpure's products are free of certain harmful ingredients, it doesn't mean you shouldn't check – all ingredients are subject to change.
Are Cruelty-Free Ingredients Safe?
If you're worried about how safe it is to use cosmetics that are not tested on animals – please relax and take a sigh of relief.
There is no reason why cruelty-free products shouldn't be just as safe, if not safer, than anything tested on an animal.
Not only is it easy to test ingredients without using animals altogether, but there are so many pre-approved ingredients you can use to make cosmetics that there really is no need.
If you're interested, here's more on the subject: Are Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Safe?
Is RENpure Sustainable and Ethical?
Something commendable about RENpure is that it tries to be as transparent as possible with its customers.
It spends a lot of time improving its carbon footprint and ensuring its consumers are contentious of this.
As it stands, the brand:
It's no secret that the world has a huge waste problem, and cosmetic brands are only making it worse by using unsustainable packaging and harmful ingredients.
RENpure is helping the situation – not only by making cruelty-free and vegan products but by sourcing ethically too.
However, it would be nice to see more of a recycling initiative taken by the brand. For example:
Final Thoughts
RENpure is a well-developed cosmetics brand that considers various ethical factors. The fact that they are cruelty-free is a step towards a more sustainable future in cosmetics.
We appreciate the fact that it has a transparent supply chain and is open to the public about its testing, purchasing, and distribution policies.
Since RENpure is not 100% vegan – it might not be the best choice for activists who go the extra mile.
However, it's worth considering that it only has a select number of products with animal-derived ingredients, and it does have a sustainable brand ethos. Not to mention it's also highly cost-effective.
Finally, it would also be nice to see further cruelty-free accreditation from other reputable organizations. So let's push to make that happen!
